Do You Need To Be 100% Raw?

Do you need to be 100% raw to release excess weight and regain your health There's no difinitive answer for that question because we are all unique. Sure, our bodies function pretty much the same way, but there are still enough differences that make it difficult to answer a question like that for it to be true for every single individual.

Most of us have heard of, or know, someone who doesn't eat a healthy diet, who smokes cigarettes and/or drinks alcohol, doesn't get enough rest, and also lives a stressful life---yet that person still has a healthy body and is over 80 years old. People like that seem to have resiliency built into their genes. Sure, who knows how long a person with such resilient genes could live or how vibrant a life that person could enjoy with a healtheir lifestyle. But, the fact remains that it seems no matter what a person's lifestyle is like, if you are born with resilient genes you are pretty much invincible to most illnesses.

A majority of the population isn't born with such impressively hardy genes, however. Most bodies can withstand the stresses of an unhealthy lifestyle until middle age. At that point, however, the body begins to show signs of ill health (excess weight gain, aches and pains, and the start of many diseases such as diabetes or high blood pressure). For a majority of those individuals, some healthy lifestyle changes can make a huge difference. Many individuals regain their health simply by changing their diets to include less fat and more vegetables, and by increasing their amount of exercise. Sure, it's a bit of work to make such changes, but if many people are committed to improving their health those simple changes can make a drastic difference in their lives.

Then there is the minority of the population who, no matter how much they exercise and cut out fats while increasing their vegetable intake, seem to have the frailest genes. These individuals rarely make it to middle age without obvious health issues (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and worse). Many people often assume that these obese and diseased individuals must have been eating massive quantities of unhealthy foods, been leading sedentary lives, and generally not caring for their bodies. That may be true for some of those with the frailest genes, but it is certainly not true for all of them.

I count myself in this minority group. While I didn't always eat 100% healthy foods, my diet was by far healthier than anyone else I ever met. I was eating 100% organic, "whole" foods for many, many years---all while my body continued to increase in weight and my health continued to decline. I cried a lot, not understanding why I was unhealthy and on the road to an early death while others around me were drinking soda, alcohol, eating fried foods, packaged foods, highly processed fast foods, and even smoking cigarettes. I wasn't doing any of that and yet I was obese and had a mile-long list of health issues that no one else was experiencing.

Not until I began regaining my health on the raw food diet did I start to see patterns emerge for what I outlined above: we really *aren't* all the same when it comes to our bodies and health; there seems to be three types of bodies---resilient, average, frail. I haven't made this a life-long observation, but I know there is a lot of truth to what I've observed. I'm not stating that this is a difinitive answer to why some are healthy while others struggle with health, because I'm not a doctor or scientist. This is just my own theory that currently makes a lot of sense to me.

So, back to the original question: Do you need to be 100% raw to release excess weight and regain your health? If you are born with resilient genes, the answer is No, not at all. If you are born with average genes, a high-raw diet is probably more than sufficient to return your body to health and give you a vibrant glow. For those of us born with frail genes, I've found that consuming only 100% raw foods allows me to live a healthy life. Not until I made the switch to 100% raw did my body begin to truly transform. If you look at my transformation photos, you'll see that once I was consuming 100% raw foods for a few months there is a shift in my body. I am more alive, my skin and entire being is more vibrant. Prior to eating 100% raw foods my body was releasing weight and my body was beginning to heal, but I wasn't feeling alive on a deeper level.

Let me tell you about something I've been doing lately. I've been eating about one tablespoon of roasted carob (NOT a raw food) a day for over a month. Do you think something so little as a tablespoon of roasted carob powder could make a big difference in my body? Well, it has. I was shocked that there was any change in my body. I really thought that something so little couldn't affect my health. Here's what it's been doing to me: my tongue is coated as though I'm going through detox, my skin has been getting small breakouts, I have dark circles under my eyes, and I've been feeling less energetic (most likely because my body is trying to deal with this foreign substance). When I was eating the raw carob, none of these things were happening to me. Our bodies are fascinating, aren't they?

Yes, there's a lot more to health than food and diet, alone. And, there is certainly a lot more to consider than what I've written about here. However, it doesn't take away from the fact that diet *does* make a difference for many of us. So, do YOU need to be 100% raw to release excess weight and regain your health? No one can answer that question for you, only you'll know the answer based on the knowledge you have about your own body.

Lots of love to all of you,

Wendi

XOXOXO

Original Comments

Below, we have included the original comments from this blog post. Additional comments may be made via Facebook, below.

Great article, Wendi. Your words certainly resonate with me. I really appreciate your down to earth, balanced approach to this question. Thanks for sharing your experience and observations.

In Health and Abundance,
Frances

On June 17, 2009, Bethany wrote:

I'd like to consider myself 100%, but lately I've been eating some 'non-raw' foods, like pickles and canned olives. I know they're cooked and filled with preservitives and chemicals, but for some ungodly reason I can't say no to them.
Tomorrow, I'm starting a cleanse. Since I've been slacking, I'm going to cleanse my body by drinking green smoothies and eating vegetables-that's it. No 'fluff' that us raw foodies like to eat (Larabars, anyone)
I really need this cleanse, I need to feel healthy again. I've lost 120lbs with raw food, and I never want to go back to my old self again. That's what I'm scared of, but I know in my heart I'm never going to be 260 lbs ever again.
What you do is amazing, and has really helped me on my journey. Thank you, a thousand times, thank you!

I'm pretty sure there are raw pickles available and I know for sure there are the most delicious
raw olives available! I know what you mean, though, about just being drawn to something. If the
worst you do is consume jars and cans of olives and pickles, you're doing WAY better than most
people and their diets!

How's your cleanse going? Yes, I know I'll never be obese again, either. It's important for us to
remember where we were, though, so we can appreciate where we are right now. :-)

I'm so very happy to hear that what I do helps you. You are very welcome and it's my pleasure!

Lots of love to you,

Wendi
XOXOXO
===========================================

On June 20, 2009, Bethany wrote:

Hi Wendi!

I've forgiven myself for eating those pickles and olives. No point in beating myself up for something in the past. Better yet, what I'm doing is rewarding myself tonight (bubble bath...=]) for not further sabotaging myself, and throwing in the towel for making a mistake. That's what the 'past Bethany' used to do, but no longer. Nope, I'm sticking with raw foods. If there are bumps along the way, well then, let them come-I end up being stronger after each one.

But, as for my cleanse. I'm upping the green smoothies, but I'm also doing something really interesting and spiritual with it. Have you ever heard of the 'Daniel fast ' In the first book of Daniel, in the Bible, Daniel and 3 of his buddies only ate vegetables and water for ten days straight. After the ten days, instead of being tired, gaunt, and unhealthy, they were vibrant, intellegent, aware, and VERY healthy. God gave them gifts, and he blessed them.
So, starting Sunday, I am doing this 'Daniel Fast,' for a mostly spiritual reason more than anything else (though I know I'll probably shed some weight-veggies aren't very high in calories)
As for my green smoothies, they are probably going to be greens with cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, or some other 'non-sweet fruit.'
I'm really excited about this. I've thought about it for a while, and I'm ready for this fast. =]

Thanks!

Bethany

On June 21, 2009, Kendra wrote:

Wendi, I am just like you!! I ate a healthy vegetarian,organic diet for all my adult life and wondered why I felt terrible and weighed 200 pounds! I went all raw and lost 60 pounds effortlessly. I have been experimenting with some cooked beans and grains in my diet and though it has been a small change, I've gained 10 pounds.
My body simply doesn't process cooked starches. I just store them!
It has been a psychological journey for me to accept that my body is different than most people's, but that is my conclusion. Your words in your post are just what I feel! Kendra

I'm so happy for your success on the raw food diet! Thanks for your comment and sharing your story with me. Do you have a more descriptive story anywhere on the Web? If so, I'd love to see it (email a link to me if you have it somewhere...my email is wendidee at purejeevan dot com).

Maybe you'd consider sharing your story here on our blog...under the My Raw Story series